Improvement in dry-docks



parte erna.

GILBERT H. FERRIS, OF

ABROOKLYN, NEW-YORK.

Letters Patent No. 104,843, (lated June 28, 1870.l

IMPROVEMENT IN vDRY-DOCKS.

The chedulereferred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, GILBERT H. Fnnms, of the city of Brooklyn, county of Kings and State of New Nork, have inventedx'a new and useful Improvement in Dry-Docks, or the Method of Docking Vessels; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing making a part of this specification, in `which Figure 1 is a side view, showing thcform and construction of the dock, the floating dock or caisson, and the hulll of a vessel upon the same, and' Figure 2 is a cross-section, through the center of fig. 1'. x

The nature and object of my invention consist in the vconstruction of a dock 'and caisson or float, 'by which vessels of a lightdraught can bc easily raised from the water for the purpose of being repaired, employing and utilizing the power and force of the tides to accomplish such a result, by means of my invention. Y

In iig. 1-

A A A, Sec., are piles, driven into the water asufiicient distance from the shore to admit of two parallel lines of piles being formed of a, Width sufficient to re'- ceive a vessel between them.

These piles extend a sufficient distance into the water to allow of the adjustment of the cross-beams B B, with which they are firmly connected ata point or points upon such piles asshall be below tide-water, and allow the caisson or floating. dock to ride easily between the piles.

This caisson or lloating dock'is divided into seqtions or water-tight compartments, and is filled with water and c aus'ed to rest upon the cross-beams B' B, so that, at low tide, there may be sufficient depth of Water above the caisson or floating' dock'to allow a vessel to float in between the piles and upon the same.

0n the under side of said caisson or floating dock are constructed -ribs or projections, of timber, transversely across its bottom, as shown in the'drawing, resembling, somewhat, steps. These steps may be of any number, the aggregate .of which shall not exceed the number of feet and inches of the rise of the tide at the point where the dock is constructed.

Thus, when the'tide rises, the caisson or floating dock rises withit, and the steps are caused to rest upon the cross-beams B B, the beams and steps being arranged and constructed for that purpose of adjustment.

oating dock will rest upon the bottom of step 1 upon the beams B B, 8vo;

The valves C C O, 85e., in the caisson or oating dock, are then opened for; the escape of water Within it, and the vessel then is vin a condition to repair upon the receding ofthe tide.

When the repairs are completed, the caisson can be llcd 'again with water, if desired, and at ebb-tide oated ldown to its original position, and the `vessel removed.

The caisson can be fastened in any suitable way to the piles, to prevent its being moved or affected by the tide in any injurious manner.

By this modeof arrangement a very cheap and convenient method of repairing vessels, particularly of small tonnage, is supplied, and a comparatively small number of hands is required to be employed.

D represents the boat or. vessel resting upon the caisson or floating dry-dock.

That I cl'aim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The construction and arrangement 'of a caisson or iloatiug dock, having formed upon its bottom side l the ribs or steps 1 2 3, &c., in the manner and for the .purpose herein set forth. 2. The combination of piles or frame-work A and B v witha caisson or doating dock, in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. The arrangement and construction of guide-,piles and frame-work, in such a manner that a caisson or floating dock, upon which vessels can be placed, mayv be raised or lowered within andvupon them by the effect of tides, iu the manner and for the purpose herein described.

` GILBERT H. FERRIS.

Witnesses:

EDM. EBROWN, B. F. J AMES.

When the tide is at its full height, the caisson or v 

